It was the French novelist, Victor
Hugo, who said: "There is nothing
so powerful as an idea whose time
has come". That idea is the role of
nature and natural capital in
overcoming poverty and
underpinning the wealth of nations.

2005 has witnessed
unprecedented interest in the
economics of the environment and
the goods and services that nature
provides. The wealth of nature was
emphasized by, among others, the
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
(MA), the findings of the Millennium
Project - the initiative of the
Secretary-General designed to inform
the review of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) - and the
2005 World Summit.

The message emerging from these
different processes, quite clearly, is
this: targeted investments in the
environment and in the restoration of
damaged and degraded ecosystems
have enormous long- and short-term
economic benefits. As the 2005
Overview of this GEO Year Book
points out with regard to the findings
of the MA, although many of the
benefits that ecosystems provide do
not pass through the formal market
system, they are often among the
most valuable to societies.

The MA findings also point out that
the economic and public health costs
associated with damage to
ecosystem services can be
substantial. This was clearly
demonstrated in 2005 - for several
regions of the world where the impact
of diverse natural disasters were
worsened because environmental
buffers had been previously removed.

The Feature Focus this year
elaborates on the environmental,
socio-economic and public health
impacts of energy-related air
pollution. There are many reasons
why air pollution needs to be
addressed urgently - not only
because of its huge toll on human
health in areas where it originates but
also because it is too often an
uncontrolled and unwelcome export
to neighbouring countries. Associated
with the energy consumption that
contributes to air pollution are
increasing global concerns over
climate change, and energy security
and access. On the other side of the
coin, cleaner energy technologies are
now available but are not always
being widely adopted. These issues
will be discussed at the annual UNEP
Global Ministerial Environment Forum
(GMEF) in 2006. A key challenge will
be to identify ways in which the global
community can continue to meet the
rising demand for energy without
compromising energy needs -
particularly those of the poor - and
still address the negative impacts of
energy-related emissions.

In the past, the goods and services
delivered by nature have often been
seen as free and available at little or
no cost. This will have to change as
these resources become increasingly
scarce and society demands higher
standards of environmental care. The
chapter on Emerging Challenges
addresses two topics of policy
interest related to food security.

The first topic explores the issue of
crop production in a changing
climate. Global warming could
seriously compromise the ability of
the environment to meet food
requirements in the future. Action is
needed at the national and global
level to ensure that we adapt as best
we can to the changes that are
already taking place, while addressing
the root of the problem by reducing
harmful greenhouse emissions in the
future. The entry into force of the
Kyoto Protocol earlier this year is a
first historic step, but we still have a
long way to go.

The second topic identifies
environmental effects and best
practices related to fish and shellfish
farming in marine ecosystems.
Caution, planning and good
management is needed to ensure that
current practices do not compromise
the services provided by marine
ecosystems in the future.

The GEO Indicators depict major
developments and trends. They
support the findings reported
elsewhere in the Year Book that rising
greenhouse gas emissions are
resulting in ecosystem change, such
as accelerating ice thickness losses
of mountain glaciers, and that
increasingly intense exploitation of
fisheries stocks is leading to serious
depletion.

However, the Indicators also show
that there is hope. Where action has
been taken, there are positive
results. The global consumption of
chlorofluorocarbons continues to
decrease. The proportion of the
Earth's surface affording some form
of environmental protection to
biodiversity continues to increase.

The GEO Year Book is intended to
provide a bridge between science
and policy. More than 140 experts
were involved in preparing the
sections of this Year Book. Previous
volumes have stimulated calls for
action - including by UNEP's
Governing Council. I hope that you
will find this edition both stimulating
and informative. Your feedback
is very welcome.